How Stress and Challenges Affect Families
When facing stress and challenges, families may be affected emotionally, physically, professionally, academically, socially, and spiritually. It is important to recognize the cumulative effects of stress and challenges on families. All of these challenges can have varying effects on each family member in different ways, which can be negative or positive.
Emotionally people may react to challenges negatively by being depressed, irritable, angry, and sad. They may react positively by feeling inspired, grateful, confident, and satisfied after tackling the stressors and challenges.
Physically people may handle stress negatively by not getting enough sleep, overeating, and increased smoking and/or drinking. They may react positively by feeling invigorated by facing the challenge or they may exercise more to cope with tension.
Professionally, family members may handle stress negatively by being preoccupied at work, arriving late, or calling in sick. They may react positively by being more productive at work and able to concentrate because they’ve dealt with the problems at home in a constructive way.
Academically, family members who are in school (grade school, high school, or college) may react to stress negatively by acting-out at school, getting into trouble, missing classes, not doing assignments, and getting poor grades. They may react positively by being more devoted and focused on their studies because things are being resolved at home, therefore, they can live up to their potential.
Socially, people may handle stress negatively by becoming withdrawn from the family, making poor choices about whom they spend time with, and hanging out with the “wrong crowd.” They may react positively with the family being brought closer together by successfully coping with challenges and they may learn more about each other by facing the problems together.
Spiritually, family members may face challenges negatively by being angry at God, feeling alienated, and feeling “lost” spiritually. Positively, they may turn to God more as they struggle to overcome the challenges, they may feel more connected to God, and appreciate God’s healing power and love.
Overall, remember that stress and problems affect families as a whole and as individuals in these various ways. The more we strive to handle things in a positive way, the more beneficial for us and our loved ones.
Debbie Bauer, LCSW, CADC-D
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